Rides in Austin, TX

[2StrokeRacer]

I'll be in Austin for a week getting into town on this Friday (12th). Anyone have any recommendations for group rides over the weekend and any week nights?

I did see the Violet Crown and Bat City club rides listed on their respective sites. Are they good rides?

Thanks

[Bwana]

COTA is open on Tuesday nights from 6-8:30. You can ride around the F1 track.

http://www.circuitoftheamericas.com/bike

[KJMUNC]

All depends on what you want pace/distance wise, but Violet Crown is a good resource for group rides and good routes.

I'd also check out Gruppo VOP if you want a fast paced group, especially their Saturday Dam Loop version.

Should have some great weather for the next week so hope you're able to enjoy some good riding. You can get all the hills you want, especially if you do some of the loops west of the city.

Several forumites live around the area, but ping me if you have any specific questions.

+1 on the COTA ride. want to get out there with my kids and ride a few laps but haven't been home on a Tues yet to do it.

[weisan]

Racer pal, it looks like you are in the "fast and furious" group but in case I am wrong in my interpretation, I ride with a bunch of retirees over the weekends, but some of them have rides throughout the week, did I mention they are retired?

https://rides.bikeaustin.org/Our-Rides/

[texbike]

I'll be in Austin for a week getting into town on this Friday (12th). Anyone have any recommendations for group rides over the weekend and any week nights?

I did see the Violet Crown and Bat City club rides listed on their respective sites. Are they good rides?

Thanks

Congrats on your trip to Austin! It's a great time of year to be here.

What kind of rides do you typically like? Fast paced? What average speeds are comfortable with and what kind of terrain are you looking for?

Cheers,

Texbike

[simplemind]

I ride with a bunch of retirees over the weekends, but some of them have rides throughout the week, did I mention they are retired?

https://rides.bikeaustin.org/Our-Rides/

Curious if you're on Strava? I tend to ride 360/Bee Caves Rd.at a modest pace for exercise :rolleyes:. It's close and can ride from the house. Usually get in about 3500' in a ride. I'll check out your link and maybe join in for some humble pie!

[KJMUNC]

Curious if you're on Strava? I tend to ride 360/Bee Caves Rd.at a modest pace for exercise :rolleyes:. It's close and can ride from the house. Usually get in about 3500' in a ride. I'll check out your link and maybe join in for some humble pie!

We must pass each other often :cool:

I'm in Barton Creek and the worst part of my ride is getting up to Bee Cave and then getting back up to the house on my return as my choices are either a.) Up Governor's Hill/Cabin climb on Barton Creek or b.) back route via Lost Creek and the "three bitc*es" climbs, as I call them.....no easy way out/in for recovery rides!

[simplemind]

We must pass each other often :cool:

I'm in Barton Creek and the worst part of my ride is getting up to Bee Cave and then getting back up to the house on my return as my choices are either a.) Up Governor's Hill/Cabin climb on Barton Creek or b.) back route via Lost Creek and the "three bitc*es" climbs, as I call them.....no easy way out/in for recovery rides!

Funny... the first time I hit Steep Shot coming from SW Parkway to Bee Caves Rd., I almost threw up. I swear some of that section has to be 20%. :no:
Haven't done the "three bitc*es" yet cuz they have bad reputations! ;)

[weisan]

Curious if you're on Strava? I tend to ride 360/Bee Caves Rd.at a modest pace for exercise :rolleyes:. It's close and can ride from the house. Usually get in about 3500' in a ride. I'll check out your link and maybe join in for some humble pie!

simple pal, no, i am not on strava. Please do come out and join us sometimes. I usually only ride with them on the weekends and preferably the route starts somewhere close to my house, if not, I would almost always choose to ride closer to home with my regular cycling buddy in the Liberty Hill area. They are mostly chilled and do observe the no-drop rule by waiting on folks at the stop sign.

[2StrokeRacer]

Thanks for the replies.

Being a motorsports fan I had planned to go to COTA and nose around anyway, so the Tuesday night thing is on the 'must do' list.



What kind of rides do you typically like? Fast paced? What average speeds are comfortable with and what kind of terrain are you looking for?

Cheers,

Texbike

I'm not looking for any fast paced rides, looking for distance (60-80 mi) with some vertical. Here in south central PA, typical rides are climbing 80 to 100 feet per mile with average speeds from 15 to 19 depending on distance.

[weisan]

Thanks for the replies.

Being a motorsports fan I had planned to go to COTA and nose around anyway, so the Tuesday night thing is on the 'must do' list.


My buddy William (retiree) just posted a ride on Tuesday for CoTA.

https://rides.bikeaustin.org/Circuit-of-the-Americas/

[tiretrax]

There is so much great riding in Austin. If you're downtown, go to Mellow Johnny's and get some maps. The Cuernava ride is a classic way to get a lot of hilly mileage, and you can go further out Bee Caves to get more mileage. It's my mainstay when I'm in Austin. The ride through town up to Mt. Bonnel is a nice one, and you should climb the stair case to see the view if you take that route.

The Barton Creek/Lost Creek ride is awesome. Probably my favorite part of Tour Das Hugels. If I can get back in shape (ok, back on the bike), I'll try to do that this year.

[texbike]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not looking for any fast paced rides, looking for distance (60-80 mi) with some vertical. Here in south central PA, typical rides are climbing 80 to 100 feet per mile with average speeds from 15 to 19 depending on distance.

Hey 2stroke. Your username makes perfect sense being a motorsports fan. ;)

As for rides that match your requirements, a number of the local shops have several rides each weekend morning for different skill levels. Take a look at the Mellow Johnny's and Bicycle Sport Shop websites:

http://austin.mellowjohnnys.com/rides-events

http://www.bicyclesportshop.com/events/events-calendar

There are also the Austin Cycling Association/Bike Austin rides:

https://rides.bikeaustin.org/Our-Rides

What part of town are you staying in while you're here? Send me a PM with your contact info if you would like additional suggestions or to possibly meet up for a ride.

Cheers,

Texbike

[simplemind]

There is so much great riding in Austin. If you're downtown, go to Mellow Johnny's and get some maps. The Cuernava ride is a classic way to get a lot of hilly mileage, and you can go further out Bee Caves to get more mileage. It's my mainstay when I'm in Austin. The ride through town up to Mt. Bonnel is a nice one, and you should climb the stair case to see the view if you take that route.

The Barton Creek/Lost Creek ride is awesome. Probably my favorite part of Tour Das Hugels. If I can get back in shape (ok, back on the bike), I'll try to do that this year.

Something like this (https://www.strava.com/activities/983198347)?

[tiretrax]

Something like this (https://www.strava.com/activities/983198347)?

Similar. I no longer use a computer, so I can't send you my map. I'll see what I can find, but Mellow Jonny's does have a paper map to Cuernavaca. Pretty easy, but you need to go out on the back roads through Rollingwood from downtown because 2244 is pretty narrow and busy.

[KJMUNC]

Something like this (https://www.strava.com/activities/983198347)?

That's a good one....those loops out west are excellent....Lost Creek/Barton Creek and Cuernevaca....but yeah just avoid Bee Cave road inside of 360, as it's a no-go for cyclists. You can cut through Rollingwood on Rollingwood Dr to Walsh Tarleton to 360 and the. Head north on 360 to Lost Creek.

Alternatively, if you're heading west on Lost Creek you can hang a left on Barton creek to southwest pkwy, go right and take it until it deadends into 71, hang a right and take it until Bee Cave. Take a right on Bee Cave and it turns into a big loop so you can still hit Cuernevaca on your way back into town.

You can check out my Strava feed if you'd like to see some options (Kerry Millar). Both Lance and Lawson Craddock ride that area regularly so they have good loop ideas if you look up theirs as well.

Have fun!! I'm in Seattle with no bike so I'm jealous!

[2StrokeRacer]

I'm on the East side, north of the airport for a few days then will be at the Hyatt for the rest of the stay. Today I rode on a hike/bike trail and on roads, looping around Long lake; somehow founding my back to the hotel. Looks like I might have join Strava and get one of those fancy computers with nav.

I think I'm going to meet up with the Violet Crown ride Saturday and the ride from Johnny's on Sunday. I'll get a map and do something from the suggestions of Cuernava/Barton Creek/Lost Creek rides on Monday. COTA on Tuesday and I think that might be all I can fit in.

All of the suggestions and replies are much appreciated.

KJM: Don't feel so bad, Seattle is a pretty cool place; not as warm as it is in Austin though (no pun intended).:D

Hey 2stroke. Your username makes perfect sense being a motorsports fan
Yep, love the smell of burnt pre-mix... ahh, those were the days.

Tex, I'll shoot you a PM tomorrow.

I'm tempted to ask where to go for the best BBQ but I'm going to open up that can of worms... seems like that would be like asking what's the best beer.